Uninterrupted KDKA

Sirs: TIME [MARCH 30] CITES KDKA OFF AIR FOR AN HOUR DURING RECENT FLOOD ACCOUNT POWER FAILURE. THIS STATEMENT IN ERROR. WITH EXCEPTION OF ONE 15-SECOND POWER FLUCTUATION, KDKA WAS NOT OFF AIR DUE TO LOSS OF POWER OR ANY OTHER REASON DURING FLOOD PERIOD. THIS MAY BE CONFIRMED BY WEST PENN POWER COMPANY AND OUR RECORDS. DWIGHT A. MYER Operations Manager KDKA Pittsburgh, Pa.

Uninterrupted Roosevelt

Sirs: Your account of the Pittsburgh flood [TIME, March 30] is excellent. I expected it would be. One little error has crept in. This is not surprising for the same error appeared in one of the Pittsburgh dailies. I refer to the statement that guests of the Roosevelt Hotel were marooned without food or water. In justice to the hotel management, I believe this should be corrected. As one of the 575 guests during the flood I know that, working under great difficulties, the hotel served meals regularly, plenty of good plain food. To cook it they were obliged to break up furniture and build fires on top of their ranges. I was in the hotel from Tuesday night until Thursday morning when I was able to leave in a motor boat after the flood had begun to subside. Water appeared to be plentiful at all times--not only out in the streets where it ran ten feet deep-- but within the hotel, where its use had not been restricted up to Thursday morning when I left. The hotel management deserve special credit for their calm, cheerful handling of the emergency; for asking only nominal prices for such service as they were able to provide. M. B. MASSOL Publisher Oral Hygiene Publications Pittsburgh, Pa.

Jackson's Record

Sirs: Unfair, incorrect is TIME'S assertion on second news page, March 23 issue, that the Battle of New Orleans was won "15 days after the War of 1812 was over." Inference is that Senator Rose McConnell Long was wrong when she told a Senate committee that "Had we not won that battle, we would have been a British colony west of the Mississippi." The fact is ... historians now agree that the Battle of New Orleans was fought before not after, the War of 1812 was over. Said the Treaty of Ghent, signed Dec. 24, 1814: "All hostilities, both by sea and land shall cease as soon as this treaty shall have been ratified by both parties, as hereinafter mentioned." The treaty was not ratified by the U. S. until Feb. 17, 1815. Hostilities were not expected to cease until the treaty was ratified. Had Andrew Jackson lost, instead of won at New Orleans, Louisiana would have been a British colony. Correct therefore, is Rose McConnell Long; correct also is Reau E. Folk, chairman of the Tennessee commission on research into the real value of the Battle of New Orleans, who first brought the matter to light. This society is sponsoring a correction in all the standard school histories not only of the erroneous assumption which TIME repeated, but also of many other schoolbook myths about Andrew Jackson's record as a President of the U. S. RUDOLPH JOHNSON The Andrew Jackson Society of Tennessee Memphis, Tenn.

A strict interpretation of the Treaty of Ghent upholds the contention of the Andrew Jackson society that "Old Hickory's" victory on Jan. 8, 1815 at New Orleans, fell within the period of hostilities. But a strict interpretation of the Treaty also indicates that a British victory at New Orleans would have been nullified since signatories agreed to restore conquered territory.--ED.

Yellow-Bellies' Record

Sirs: As to Veterans of Future Wars [TIME, March 30]. . . . Had it not been for the type of yellow-belly-now seeking publicity at Princeton, in the U. S. Army during the War in France the War would have been brought to a quicker close. This type of yellow-belly threw a monkey wrench into everything because they didn't have the guts to play ball with Uncle Sam when he needed them. These Princeton yellow-bellies will probably never be called upon to go to war because their papas will see to that. VERNER C. BECK (18 months in France) Ontario, Calif.

Princeton's record in the last War: Of the 2,175 members of the Classes of 1918-22, 1,900 were in military service; of the 7,900 alumni aged 45 or under in 1917, 3,600 saw war service.--ED.

Sirs: Just how does Mr. James E. Van Zandt get the idea that college boys are "too yellow to go to war" (TIME, March 30)? My impression: the courage of our college youth is equal to that of any group in the U. S. Mr. Van Zandt surely knows that all the members of his honored American Legion did not rush to the colors in 1917. Louis A. BLEDSOE Superintendent of Schools Sorento, Ill.

Brooklynese

Sirs: ... I want also to point out the invasion of Brooklynese (is that the correct idiom?) into the Hungarian translation of (the couplet "returning you--joining you" from Gloomy Sunday [TIME, March 30]. I wonder that you didn't comment on it. HUBERT CREEKMORE Jackson, Miss.

TIME failed to characterize the rhyming of "joining" and "returning" as Brooklynese because to do so would be incorrect. Any Brooklynite who pronounces "joining"' as "jerning," must of necessity pronounce "returning" as "retoining." In no dialect that TIME can discover would that particular couplet of Gloomy Sunday rhyme.--ED.

Deathly Success

Sirs: . . . Several clays after you published your story anent Hal Kemp's Brunswick recording of the famous Hungarian suicide song, Gloomy Sunday, a letter from the composer was received by his good friend and former Budapest studio-mate, Karoly Nyaray, now of New York City. I met Nyaray, who possesses a fine tenor voice, alter I heard him sing Szomoru Vasarnap on Columbia's Hungarian record of Gloomy Sunday. He showed me the letter and translated it for me. ... I am quoting it:

Budapest

My dear Karcsi: The fact that my song Gloomy Sunday is being played all over the world bewildered me--I do not know whether I should be happy over it. I stand in the midst of this deathly success as an accused. Believe me, Karcsi, this "fatal fame" hurts me. It hurls that so many people chose this song as their death march, making it world-famous with their act. People who die with a song must have beautiful souls, but I do not compose them for that purpose. I write songs to have people sing them and enjoy themselves while doing it. What prompted me to compose this song? It is hard to answer. . . . You know what struggles and disappointments I have gone through. There are healed wounds which sometimes open . . . the past returns and tears them. It was in one of these moments that Gloomy Sunday was born. I cried all the disappointments of my heart into this song, and people with feelings akin found their own hurt in it. That is how I account for it becoming a "deathly song"--because disappointment and suffering are felt by everyone alike. If the songs which burst from my heart will not be chosen by suicides as their "death march," but by those who seek balm for their hearts, I shall feel happy if I can accomplish this. With Magyar brotherly love, Your true friend, RESZO SERESS

This letter, I believe, will excite interest. KAY MAGENHEIMER Columbia Phonograph Co. Inc. New York City.

Last week excitable youngsters at the University of Michigan believed their campus was the scene of the first U. S. suicide encouraged by Composer Seress' dolorous dirge. After listening to Hal Kemp's orchestra play Gloomy Sunday over the radio, John Granville Williams, 24, moody graduate student in chemistry, hanged himself.--ED.

Light on Cook

Sirs: ... I may be able to throw some light on Dr. Frederick A. Cook's efforts to prove that his tour to the North Pole was on the up and up [TIME, March 30]. . . . In 1926 I was a newshawk on the Fort Worth Record-Telegram when Roald Amundsen, ace of the cold weather explorers, came to that city to deliver a lecture. Dr. Cook at that time was awaiting the outcome of a federal penitentiary appeal in the Tarrant County jail in Fort Worth. Amundsen was asked: "Do you believe Dr. Cook reached the North Pole?" The explorer replied: "Dr. Cook has as much right to state he reached the North Pole as Peary." Amundsen declined to amplify his statement. As far as I know that was the last public statement on that question made by Amundsen. Two years later I interviewed him again in Wichita Falls, Tex. I asked him again to amplify his Fort Worth statement. He stated: "I got in enough 'hot water' over that Fort Worth statement. I'm not going to say anything more about the Cook-Peary claims to the 'North Pole." In what kind of "hot water" Amundsen found himself or whether he believed both Cook and Peary reached the North Pole or didn't, the rest of the world will have to figure out, I never could. . . . M. H. STEVE STEVENSON Orange, N. J.

Sirs: ... It seems but fair that you do a bit more investigating into what Dr. Frederick A. Cook has done and what he has not done. I heard Dr. Cook lecture, very, very modest in his claims, immediately after he had returned through the angry-schoolboy newspaper and telegraphic firespittings of Peary. ... If Dr. Cook had not found the North Pole, he thought so and has shown as much, if not more, proof that he did reach it than ever did Peary. The very fact that he has been handed the hot end of a poker ever since should induce you to be eminently fair in your investigations and statements in the future. The bald fact that the government of Denmark has never withdrawn its medal and degree given to Dr. Cook but has withdrawn, if I am not wrongly informed, its endorsements of Peary, is splendid proof that Dr. Cook has never been deemed an impostor by Denmark nor by many others in a position to know--not guess. Also, this class of competent judges is one that would be most jealous of their records and statements. . . . IRA C. PRICHARD Kansas City, Mo.

So far as TIME knows, the Danish Government never gave Explorer Peary any honor it might withdraw.--ED.

Sirs: ... I first met Dr. Cook when he came back from the Pole, and I have known and associated with him very intimately ever since then. I am not exaggerating when I say I know him better than any other person alive. In 1915 we were on an eight-months' trip to climb Mt. Everest. Permission being refused by the British, we went to the jungles of Borneo to do anthropological work on the so-called wild man of Borneo. During these eight months, we were together practically every minute of the time--night and day. Our principal topic of conversation was the Polar Controversy. I spent considerable time with him in the oil fields of Wyoming and Texas, and when he is in Chicago I see him every day. Surely this intimate relationship could not have endured unless the Doctor was right. F. P. THOMPSON, M. D. Chicago, Ill.

Sirs: . . . The final test of an explorer's work is the continuity of his narrative and the way his report checks with later explorers who follow in his footsteps. Cook first described the North Pole, and his story [that there was no land at the Pole] has been confirmed by three flights (Byrd, Amundsen and Nobile), although at the time he set out he had excellent reasons for believing that there might be land at latitude 90. Cook reported that he didn't see Peary's Crocker Land, and MacMillan in 1914 led an expedition which proved that this land is just another Peary myth like Independence Bay, Peary Channel, and the rest. MacMillan followed Cook's path across Acpohan, finding food store the Doctor had left. On the sea ice he was nearly caught by the southerly current that carried Dr. Cook astray in 1908, and that was unknown at that time. Nobody has ever seen Dr. Cook's Bradley Land at latitude 85, but soundings by Peary and Stefansson (if reliable) and a study of Arctic currents by R. A. Harris of the Coast and Geodetic Survey, all point to its existence. We find, on sane analysis, that every statement made by Dr. Cook which has since been checked has been confirmed, and that no single charge against his attainment will bear analysis. The same is true of Mt. McKinley (see Mt. McKinley and Mountain Climbers' Proofs by Edwin Swift Balch), for every follower of the Doctor up that forbidding slope has described the same things he described. We find, in short, that Dr. Cook's record is cleaner than that of any American since General Greely, and that history will inevitably give him the respect and recognition that was stolen from him by the late Civil-Engineer Robert Edwin Peary. TED LEITZELL Editor Real America Chicago, Ill.

Syracuse Bomb

Sirs: There has been brought to the Bureau's attention an article which appeared in your magazine under date of March 23, concerning a parcel addressed to the Chancellor of Syracuse University which was suspected of being a bomb. According to the article, this package was turned over to the police department, which sent for a "Department of Justice expert on infernal machines," who made an examination, and, according to the story, indicated that this was a very dangerous bomb. Later it developed that this was merely a prank on the part of several students at Syracuse University. In order that you may have the correct information regarding this incident, I thought you would be interested in learning that there was no one connected with this organization or with the Department of Justice who made an examination of the alleged bomb. JOHN EDGAR HOOVER Director Federal Bureau of Investigation U. S. Department of Justice Washington, D. C.

Proud & Mad

Sirs: I have read with interest and pride your story about the University of Rochester's Round-up [TIME, March 30]. I failed to detect any criticism in your words, and I think you are right in your judgment. . . . And the alumni who grouse about the athletic record of the college can take heart, because, where a selection of well-rounded students is made, a sprinkling of athletes is bound to be present. A glance at the college catalog discloses two undergraduates whose homes are below the Mason & Dixon Line. I believe this is an all-time high at that. We alumni who are located down here in the South are very pleased with the move our college is making, for it looks like we will have some additions to our numbers. For your excellent report in TIME--thanks--the advertising value is immense. Already are we receiving numerous inquiries about the scholarships. C. G. SMITH Rochester '29 Kingsport, Tenn.

Sirs: . . . Your article is entertaining, and will probably bring much glee to graduates of colleges frankly envious of Rochester's past and present stature. But even the kind things you say of the University's resources, its president, its faculty, its "starkly handsome" river campus will not prevent it from making this particular Rochester alumnus not only thoroughly mad but skeptical of TIME'S news articles hereafter. CHARLES F. COLE Rochester '25 Rochester, N. Y.

Time Marches On

Sirs: On Friday night last I heard with regret the announcement that the final Remington Rand-sponsored "March of Time" program had come to an end. Tonight, Monday, out of sheer curiosity, I switched to our local Columbia station to find out what was to replace my favorite nightly entertainment. Imagine my surprise to hear, with its crashing introductory fanfare, the crisp, familiar announcement, "the March of Time!" Our thanks to Wrigley for continuing this distinctive news broadcast. A palm to the sponsor, too, for shrewdly limiting the advertising to less than 30 seconds. ARTHUR W. WRIGHT, M. D. Albany Medical College Albany, N. Y.

When limited spring and summer advertising appropriation caused Remington Rand to discontinue "March of Time" radio sponsorship after a record-breaking winter sales season. Wm. Wrigley Jr. Co. heard the news, offered sponsorship for an indefinite period. Arrangements were concluded within 24 hours, preserving an uninterrupted program. Wrigley sales talk, deliberately kept to a minimum, averages 15 seconds.--ED.

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